More than 143,000 FL GOP voters have cast ballots -- 20,000 more than Iowa caucus

More than 138,000 Florida Republicans have cast mail-in absentee ballots already of the 455,622 requested so far and another 5,000 have voted early at the polls in some counties, according to Republican Party of Florida's spokesman, Brian Hughes.

For context, consider that the total ballots cast in the Iowa caucus was 122,000.

And there's more. The Iowa caucus was essentially botched. Rick Santorum was just declared the official winner -- not Mitt Romney. That has some Florida Republicans wondering why Iowa gets such a focus. Not only are Democrats and independents allowed to vote in the party's election -- the caucus is run poorly.

"Our first election in the nation is in a state that lets people vote on construction paper," said David "DJ" Johnson, former Republican Party of Florida executive director and adviser to Jon Huntsman's now-scuttled presidential campaign.

"There are third-grade elections for class president that are run better than Iowa's caucus," Johson said.